The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-05
An Interesting Scrap of History.

The Warsaw Times prints the substance or
an interesting historical document recently
found among some old private papers by Mr.
Daniel Hoover, one of the commissioners of
Kosciusko county. On examination they proved
to be the official report of an Indian council held
in 1882 for the purpose of extinguishing certain
Indian land titles. The report is signed by
Elisha NJ. Huntington, assistant secretary to the
commission, and afterwards Commissioner of
the General Land Office. The history of the trans
action shows that the Congress of 1881 80 passed
an act authorizing "the appointment OF three
commissioners to hold Indian treaties and ex-
tinguish Indian titles within the States of Indi-
ana Illinois and the Territory of Michigan" "as
far north as Grand River" In July, 1892
Governor Jonathan Jennings, Hon. John W.
Davis, afterwards Speaker of the House of
Representatives in the Legislature of this State
and Speaker of the House of Representatives in
the Congress of the United States, and Marks
Crume. probably resident of either Michigan
or Illinois, were appointed Commissioners under
that act and Henry Hoover. of Wayne county.
in this State, appointed secretary. The
commissioners met at the "Forks of the
Wabash at near where the town of Hunting
ton is now located, Sept. 10, 1882 The In
dams to be treated with the Miamis and
Pottawotamies. The instructions ito the
commissioners were to induce the Indians
to give up their lands of the Mississippi for
other lands west of that river. the government
agreeing to feed and clothe them until they could
provide for themselves in their new location;
that they might under certain circumstances
agree to pay annuities for a period of twenty
years. and that if the Indians refused to go-on
account of bad reports that they might have
heard as to the lands proposed to be given them
+ba nj oh hat
ploring expedition be sent out to examine the
country, and the treaty to depend on the report
The Indians were represented by Flat Belly,
prominent Miami chief whose village was To-
Gated in the northwestern part of what is now
Kosciusko county, this State He was an hon.
est man of decided intelligence and strong char
acter The other Indian spokesman Jean
Baptiste Richardville, also Miami chief, whose
village was near the site of the present city of
Fort Wayne. The council occupied parts of sew
eral days The report of the proceedings shows
a determined effort on the part of the govern
ment commissioners to induce the Indians to
give up their lands and an equally firm deter
mination the part of the latter not to do so.
The opening speech was made by ex Governor
Jennings, and following is the official report:
sMy Children, your Great Father, the Presi-
dent, has sent me and the two gentlemen who
sit with me. to call you once more to this council
house. We all thank the Great Spirit that he
has opened clear path and given bright
sky where now meet our red children, the
Miamis You who have seen many SHOWS and
have the country filled with game, you
who were at the treaty of Greenvie. will
member that your Great Father took you
strongly by the hand Since that time he has
always loved you. He still loves you. Your
Great Father sees his red children much i'm
posed upon by come of his bad white children, |
and he is sorry for it. He sees, too, that the |
game is gone from the lands they now live on.
Your Great Father has sent Us to to you that |
he has much land beyond the Mississippi where |
game is plenty and where the bad white man |
shall never to disturb you. The land your |
Great Father will keep for you long the sun |
shall shine the rams fall as long the name |
of Miami shall exist. The lands you have he |
wants for his white children: the lands he offers
you towards the setting sun he thinks /
will suit you best. The Great Father will |
give you more land over the Mississippi than you |
have here He will also give you money. He /
will send you safe under the protection of some |
white friends to your new homes. He will feed |
you there until you get corn flelds of your own;
until your hunters lay up plenty of buffalo. deer
and beaver. My children. the white men are
crowding around you they are becoming as
thick as the trees of the forest. The white man
and the red man cannot live together in peace.
The laws OF the white man do not suit you, and
it NAV be necessary for you before many moons
to seek new and better homes beyond the great
river or let the white man rule over you. His
la VS. would bear hard upon the red man. My
children. do not wish to hurry you but we
wish to hear from you as you have fully
deli berated what we have said. Think of
these things. nv children, and when you have
made up your minds will again meet you in
council and in friendship. We will then listen
TO what you have to say to Your Great
Father will be very sorry If his commissioners
must go home and tell him that his Miami child
rem would not hear him. If you nave anything
now to say our ears open and we will hear
you"
This was good statement Of the governments
ease and adroit speech for the occasion. The
Indians asked for time to deliberate and the
council adjourned for week. When they re-
assembled. on Sept "a. there was another Miami
chief present, Chappene. who acted spokes-